Welcome to the final part of my series for the (Quack) Antique Medications!
Let me start off by saying, this 'search and find' information process was so tedious for this medication it was almost physically painful for me. I have spent hours online searching out different aspects of the bottle and its contents only to come to the sad conclusion that
dun-dun-dun
it is a FAKE!
I was duped! 😂 For the record, I don't think the antique shop that I bought it from did this intentionally - the shop is set up as a sort-of consignment store. There are multiple different clearly segregated 'sections' of antique items and within each section is a smattering of items displayed, anything from old kitchen ware to old tools to old military items. Looking back now, I probably should have known something was up because the section I snatched this bottle from had mostly newer dolls with antique looking handmade clothing for sale within it.
I paid $5 for it. It was the last medication bottle that I picked up before heading to the register and I'm not going to lie, I was so excited about the first two antique medications that I honestly didn't even look at it all that well.
Even if I had inspected the bottle closer, I would have had no idea what to look for to tell if it was really an antique before doing all the research I've done for this series, so honestly, I probably would have bought this anyway. The education that I have gotten from all this researching, on not only this bottle, but the first two bottles in this series, is priceless 🧠
Why do I think it's fake?
Well, I think this because I cannot find a single bottle like mine anywhere on the net - I have found similar bottles but the informational wrap around it is different... AND the liquid inside this bottle has a million 'floaties' in it 😱 I would imagine if it really was the original medication that the wrap says it is, there would be no floaties, even after all this time.
What do you think? Here are a few pictures of the bottle and the label for your inspection.
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| Bottle Standing - So you get a good look at the screw on cap |
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| Bottle Laying - So you can see the shape of the bottle a little differently |
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| Imprint on the bottom of the bottle |
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| "Top" of the informational wrap |
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| "Middle" of the informational wrap |
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| "End" of the informational wrap |
Notices of Judgment Under the Food and Drugs Act, Issue 4001, Part 4500
On June 8, 1915, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the District Court of the United States for said district an information against Herman Knorr and Emil Knorr, Detroit, Mich., copartners, trading under the firm name of Knorr Medical Co., alleging shipment by said defendants, in violation of the Food and Drugs Act, as amended, on or about February 8, 1913, from the State of Michigan into the State of Illinois, of a quantity of “ Knorr’s Genuine Hien Fong Essence or Green Drops ” which was rnisbranded. The product was labeled: (On bottle) “ Knorr’s Genuine Hien Fong Essence or Green Drops. (Reg. No. 12393) Contains 70% pure grain Alcohol and 15 Min. U. S. P. Ether per ounce and other Valuable Ingredients. Manufactured only by Knorr Medical Co. 613 14th Ave., Detroit, Michigan. This powerful and refreshing remedy has proved its efficiency and can be highly recommended for diseases of the Stomach and Bowels, Colic, Cholera Morbus, Summer Complaint, Jeuralgia, Catarrh, Grippe, Colds, Tonsilitis, Sore Throat, Croup, Diphtheria. If properly and promptly applied at first symptoms of Group and Diphtheria the patient \vill be greatly relieved and the progress of these dreadful diseases may be checked. The use of this Essence is very advisable where Diphtheria prevails. Guaranteed by Knorr Medical Co., 613 14th Ave., Detroit, Michigan. Dose * * * (Other writing on label in German.) (On wrapper around bottle) “ I§norr’s Genuine Hien Fong Essence or Green Drops. (Reg. No. 12393) Contains 70% pure grain alcohol and 16 min. U. S. P. Ether per ounce and other valuable ingredients. Manufactured only by Knorr Medical Co., 613 14th Ave., Detroit, Michigan. An excellent Remedy for diseases of the Stomach, and Bowels, Colic, Cholera Morbus, Summer Complaint, Neuralgia, Catarrh, Colds, Tonsilitis, Sore Throat, Croup and Diphtheria. (Writing in German.) Price $1.00. Guaranteed by the Knorr Medical Co., 613 14th Ave., Detroit, Mich.” The circular accompanying the product included, among others, the following statements: “ For Inflammation and weakness of the Eyes wet your hand with the Essence and hold it over the closed eyes until the burning has ceased and the eyes will be wonderfully benefited.” “ Dullness of ears, and even deafness, has been relieved and benefited by wearing a little wadding moistened with the Essence, in the ear.” “In all diseases of the Stomach, abdomen and disorder of digestion, the Essence is an excellent internal remedy, hardly ever failing to give immediate relief.”
Analysis of a sample of the product by the Bureau of Chemistry of this department showed the following results:
Alcohol (per cent by volume)_____________________69. 72
Ether (per cent by volume)________________________ 0.35
Nonvolatile matter (gram per 100 cc) _______________ 0. 28
Flavored with oil of spearmint.
Alkaloids: Absent.
Misbranding of the article was alleged in the information for the reason that the following statement regarding the therapeutic and curative eifects thereof, appearing on the label of the wrapper aforesaid, to wit, “An excellent Remedy for diseases of the Stomach, and Bowels, Colic, Cholera Morbus, Summer Complaint, Neuralgia, Catarrh, Colds, Tonsilitis, Sore Throat, Croup and Diphtheria,” was false and fraudulent in that the same was applied to said article knowingly and in reckless and wanton disregard of its truth or falsity so as to represent falsely and fraudulently to the purchasers thereof, and create in the minds of purchasers thereof the impression and belief, that it was in whole or in part composed of, or contained, ingredients or medicinal agents effective, among other things, as a remedy for all diseases of the stomach and bowels, cholera morbus, catarrh, tonsilitis, croup, and diphtheria; when, in truth and in fact, said article was not in whole or in part composed of, and did not contain, ingredients or medicinal agents effective as a remedy for all diseases of the stomach and bowels, cholera morbus, catarrh, tonsilitis, croup, or diphtheria. Misbranding was alleged_ for the further reason that the following statements regarding the therapeutic or curative effects of the article, appearing ‘on the label of the bottle aforesaid, to wit, “ This powerful and refreshing remedy has proved its efliciency and can be highly recommended for diseases of the Stomach and Bowels, Colic, Cholera Morbus, Summer Complaint, Neuralgia, Catarrh, Grippe, Colds, Tonsilitis, Sore Throat, Croup, Diphtheria. If properly and promptly applied at first symptoms of Group and Diphtheria the patient will be greatly relieved and the progress of these dreadful diseases may be checked. The use of this Essence is very advisable where Diphtheria prevails,” were false and fraudulent in that the same were applied to said article knowingly and in reckless and wanton disregard of their truth or falsity so as to represent falsely and fraudulently to the purchasers thereof, and create in the minds of purchasers thereof the impression and belief, that it was in whole or in part composed of, or contained, ingredients or medicinal agents affective, among other things, for the checking of diphtheria and croup when promptly applied at first symptoms of these disorders; when, in truth and in fact, said article was not in whole or in part composed of, and did not contain, ingredients or medicinal agents effective for the checking of diphtheria and croup when applied at first symptoms of these disorders, or at any stage thereof. Misbranding was alleged for the further reason that the following statements regarding the therapeutic or curative effects of the article, included in the circular aforesaid, to wit, “ For Inflammation and weakness of the Eyes wet your hand with the Essence and hold it over the closed eyes until the burning has ceased and the eyes will be wonderfully benefited,” “ Dullness of ears, and even deafness, has been relieved and benefited by wearing a little wadding moistened with the Essence in the ear,” “ In all diseases of the Stomach, abdomen and disorder of digestion, the Essence is an excellent internal remedy, hardly ever failing to give immediate relief,” were false and fraudulent in that, by means of the said circular, they were applied to said article knowingly and in reckless and wanton disregard of their truth or falsity so as to represent falsely and fraudulently to the purchasers thereof, and create in the minds of purchasers thereof the impression and belief, that it was in whole or in part composed of, or contained, ingredients or medicinal agents effective, among other things, for benefiting inflammation and weakness of the eyes, and for relieving deafness, and for remedying and affording immediate relief in all diseases of the stomach and abdomen; when, in truth and in fact, said article was not in whole or in part composed of, and did not contain, ingredients or medicinal agents effective for benefiting inflammation and weakness of the eyes, or for relieving deafness, or for remedying and affording immediate relief in all diseases of the stomach and abdomen.On June 10, 1915, the defendants entered pleas of guilty to the information, and the court imposed a fine of $50.CARI. VBOOMAN, Acting Secretary of Agriculture. WAsHme'roN, D. C., December 20, 1915.
Through out my researching I also brushed up on my cap history for medications. There are so many sites that go over the history of bottle capping 😂 I'm warning you now, it's a rabbit hole of informational interest - I probably spent at least 2 1/2 hours clicking from site to site learning about when screw caps were made, how they evolved over time and why they are used now rather then corks.
All in all - pretty cool 😁 I'm glad I took the time to do this series (even though this last section of the series was so frustrating to research)!
Check out Part One and Two using the links below:
(Quack) Antique Medications: Part One - Bromo Quinne Laxative cold Tablets
(Quack) Antique Medications Part Two: Calomel and Sodium Bicarbonate
Thank You so much for going on this journey with me!
Let me know what you think - drop a comment below!
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